Transparent filter package

ABSTRACT

A package for a throwaway oil filter has a housing with open front and back faces and reinforced sides which is formed from a one-piece folded blank and wrapped with a transparent plastic shrink film.

United States Patent [72] Inventor 932 Gaylord........................ 968 Gabrieletal.................

80 54 //0 694 mnw 2 2 964 Hughes... 963 Larsen....

955 Phipps................. 955 WilliamsonetaL.

940 Manning....................::

FOREIGN PATENTS [21] Appl. No. 833,589 [22] Filed June 16, 1969 [45] Patented Dec. 14, 1971 [73] Assignee Tenneco lnc.

Racine, Wis.

(54] TRANSPARENT FILTER PACKAGE 9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. 2416/4514, 206/45.33, 206/46 H, 229/40 6,606,221 11/1966 Netherlands.................

[51] int. 865d 5/04, Primary Examiner-Leonard Summer B65d 5/50, 865d 65/16 Attorney-Harness, Dickey & Pierce [50] Field of Search... 206/4533,

ABSTRACT: A package for a throwaway oil filter has a housing with open front and back faces and reinforced sides which is formed from a one-piece folded blank and wrapped with a transparent plastic shrink film.

Fmmmd @c 14, 1971 3,627,?HM

3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

22/8772 JZWw/QW BY TRANSPARENT FILTER PACKAGE BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the purpose of the invention to provide an attractive, economical, sturdy package for automotive oil filters or the like.

The invention accomplishes this purpose by means of a housing that is simply formed by folding of a blank after which the filter is inserted and a transparent shrink film wrap applied to hold the filter in the housing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the filter package of this invention with the filter omitted;

F IG. 2 is a plan view of the cardboard blank which is folded into the structural part of the package of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the blank of FIG. 2 showing a partial folding stage;

FIG. 4 is a cross section along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation of a modified filter package partly broken open which contains spacers at the top and bottom;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the spacer used at the bottom of the package of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a cross section along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The filter package 1 of FIG. 1 comprises a folded cardboard housing 3 which may be entirely skin wrapped with a transparent plastic shrink film 5. The package illustrated herein is square or rectangular in cross section but snugly receives the cylindrical exterior of an automotivetype throwaway oil filter 6 such as the type of filter construction shown in US. Pat. No. 3,l46,l94, it being noted that the filter of this patent may be made in various heights and widths while still retaining the same basic external configuration. A particular virtue of the packages constructed in accordance with the invention is that large numbers of them containing the relatively heavy filters may be packed side by side and one on top of another since they have and maintain flat outer surfaces that are capable of withstanding weight loads. This structural strength is due to the construction of the housing 3 which, it will be observed, is open in the front 7 and the back 9 so that the contents of the package may be easily observed. The two sides 11 and 13 are reinforced as will be described hereinafter while the substantially square flat top 15 and bottom 17 are preferably provided with pairs of front and back flanges 19 and 21, respectively, which are bent over into and restrict the open areas of the front and rear faces 7 and 9.

The housing 3 is preferably made by folding up a one-piece blank 23 of a shape such as shown in FIG. 2. The blank has sections 11A and 13A corresponding to the completed sides 11 and 13 and top and bottom sections 15A and 17A cor responding to the top and bottom faces 15 and 17. The side section 11A is separated from top and bottom sections 15A and 17A by fold lines 25 and 27 and the side section 13A is separated from the bottom section 17A by fold line 29. The pair of top front and back flange sections 19A, which form the top flanges 19, are separated from the top section 15A by fold lines 31. Additionally, a connection tab section 33A is separated from the top section 15A by fold line 35. The pair of bottom front and back flange sections 21A, which form the bottom flanges 21, are separated from the bottom section 17A by fold lines 37.

It can be seen in FIG. 2 that the side sections 11A and 13A are rather dog bone-shaped (which enlarges the front and back openings) hflving bottom enlargements 39A and top enlargements 41A which are joined by relatively narrow connecting or intermediate portions 43A. The outer edges 45 of the sections 39A and 41Aare slanted so they do not extend at exactly right angles to the planes of the bottom and bottom faces 15 and 17 when the housing is folded together. The edges 45 blend into the straight and parallel rear and front edges 49 and 51 of the intermediate portions 43A along slanted edges 47. Attached to the intermediate portions 43A are reinforcement sections 53A and 55A for the sides 11 and 13, respectively. The sections 53A and 55A are preferably shaped as shown in FIG. 2 and have maximum widths that are substantially exactly the same as the widths of intermediate sections 11A and 13A. The edges 51 also constitute fold lines separating these sections but the remaining complementary shapes of the sections (along edges 47 and portions of edges 45) are slit through along the edges.

The blank 23 is folded along the various fold lines into a housing 3 in the manner indicated in FIG. 3. The blank section 33A provides a tab 33 that is glued to the inside top portion of the side 13 to hold the housing in an upright box shape. The reinforcement sections 53 and 55, formed by blank sections 53A and 55A, are folded flat against the inside faces of sides 11 and 13 and glued to them and thereby stiffen the two sides so that they can withstand the load of other packaged filters as mentioned above. A filter 6 can then be placed in the housing and the flanges l9 and 21 folded over and held in place by the transparent skin wrap 5.

It is apparent that the outside surfaces of the housing are well adapted to receive printing and/or art work and that this can be impressed on the back of the blank 23.

In FIGS. 5-7 (wherein the same reference numerals with l00 added are used), a slightly modified filter package 101 is shown, the modification comprising the use of top and/or bottom spacers between the ends of the filter 106 and the top and/or bottom and 117, respectively, of the package housing 103. The spacers are hidden from view by the use of longer top and bottom flanges 119 and 121 in conjunction with correspondingly longer adjacent portions of the sides 111 and 113.

The top spacer 161 comprises a zigzag folded sheet of corrugated cardboard that fits between the top of the filter 106 and the top 115 of the housing. The spacer 161 has some resiliency and acts to hold the filter on the bottom spacer 163. The latter is made of thin plastic to the shape illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, having a square base flange 165 that fits the square bottom face 117 of the housing 103. Extending up from the flange is a sidewall 167 which has four contour sections 169 located centrally between the four comer posts 171. Except for the posts, the top edges of the sidewall are horizontally interconnected by a web 173, though this has a central tapered depression which terminates in a bottom 176 that is coplanar with the flange 165. The posts 171 have ledges 177 formed in them and the four ledges are arcuate on the same radius about the center of recess 175. They receive and support the rim or bead 179 on the bottom of the filter 106 and hold it elevated from web 173 so that there is clearance for the annular seal 181 on the bottom of the filter. The construction of the spacer 163 is such that it can support substantial load despite the fact that it is pressed from thin plastic sheet, the posts and center depression furnishing good resistance to deformation from vertical loads. The support of the filter on the ledges 177 tends to inhibit rotation of the filter due to jostling of the package.

Iclaim:

l. A blank for forming a package housing comprising an elongated strip having a top portion atone end and a right side portion at the other end, said strip having a bottom portion adjacent the right side portion and a left side portion between the top portion and the bottom portion, said portions being connected along fold lines extending; at right angles to the length of the strip, each of said side portions having a reinforcement portion of the same width as the side portion extending laterally therefrom and connected to it along a fold line extending parallel to the length of the strip, opposite sides of the top and bottom portions having flange portions connected along fold lines extending parallel to the length of the strip, the outer edges of the side portions adjacent the ends of the side portions being angled inwardly toward the center line of the strip.

2. A see-through package to holda single cylindrical oil filter comprising foldable sheet material forming a housing having substantially square flat top and bottom panels of substantially the same width as the filter and only two side panels extending parallel to each other on opposite sides of the housing and along the length of the housing and interconnecting the top and bottom panels, said housing having front and rear sides that are open to visually expose front and rear portions of said filter, said side panels being flat and connected along fold lines to the top and bottompanels along the full width of said top and bottom panels but being substantially reduced in width along their lengths intermediate the top and bottom panels so as to visually expose opposite side portions of said filter, a major portion of said side panels including the reduced width portions being of double thickness and the top and bottom panels being of a single thickness of said sheet material, and a transparent plastic shrink film encasing the entire housing including said front and rear sides and the visually exposed portions of said filter.

3. A package as set forth in claim 2 including short flanges in said front and rear sides overlapping the top and bottom ends of the filter and connected along fold lines to the front and rear edges of the top and bottom panels and held against edges of the side panels by the shrink film.

4. A package as set forth in claim 3 including a spacer member located inside the housing and engaging an end of the filter and covered by certain of said short flanges.

5. A package as set forth in claim 4 wherein said spacer member comprises a folded piece of cardboard.

6. A package as set forth in claim 4 wherein said spacer member is formed of plastic and has inner circular portions receiving the base of the filter and outer rectangular portions to fit inside the housing.

7. A see-through package to hold a single oil filter comprising foldable sheet material forming a housing having substantially rectangular flat top and bottom panels and only two side panels extending parallel to each other on opposite sides of the housing and along the length of the housing and interconnecting the top and bottom panels, said housing having front and rear sides that are open to visually expose front and rear portions of said filter, said side panels being flat and connected along fold lines to the top and bottom panels along the full width of said top and bottom panels but being substantially reduced in width along their lengths intermediate the top and bottom panels so as to visually expose opposite side portions of said filter, a major portion of said side panels including the reduced width portions being of double thickness and the top and bottom panels being of a single thickness of said sheet material, and a transparent plastic shrink film encasing the entire housing including said front and rear sides and the visually exposed portions of said filter, short flanges in said front and rear sides connected along fold lines to the front and rear edges of the top and bottom panels and held against edges of the side panels by the shrink film, the portions of the side panel edges of the side panels by the shrink film, the portions of the side panel edges engaged by said short flanges being angled inwardly toward toward the reduced width sections of the side panels to act with the flanges to provide an inwardly biased support for the shrink film.

8. A package as set forth in claim 7 wherein the double thickness portions of the side panels comprise outer and inner layers of substantially the same width and secured to each other, the inner layer being connected to the outer layer along a single fold line on one longitudinal edge of the side panel.

9. A see-through package to hold a single oil filter comprising foldable sheet material forming a housing having substantially rectangular flat top and bottom panels and only two side panels extending parallel to each other on opposite sides of the housing and along the length of the housing and interconnecting the top and bottom panels, said housing having from and rear sides that are open to visually expose front and rear portions of said filter, said side panels being flat and connected alon fold lines to the top and bottom panels along the full width 0 said top and bottom panels but being substantially reduced in width along their lengths intermediate the top and bottom panels so as to visually expose opposite side portions of said filter, a major portion of said side panels including the reduced width portions being of double thickness and the top and bottom panels being of a single thickness of said sheet material, and a transparent plastic shrink film encasing the entire housing including said front and rear sides and the visually exposed portions of said filter the double thickness portions of the side panels comprising outer and inner layers of substantially the same width and secured to each other, the inner layer being connected to the outer layer along a single fold line on one longitudinal edge of the side panel.

* t i i I! 

1. A blank for forming a package housing comprising an elongated strip having a top portion at one end and a right side portion at the other end, said strip having a bottom portion adjacent the right side portion and a left side portion between the top portion and the bottom portion, said portions being connected along fold lines extending at right angles to the length of the strip, each of said side portions having a reinforcement portion of the same width as the side portion extending laterally therefrom and connected to it along a fold line extending parallel to the length of the strip, opposite sides of the top and bottom portions having flange portions connected along fold lines extending parallel to the length of the strip, the outer edges of the side portions adjacent the ends of the side portions being angled inwardly toward the center line of the strip.
 2. A see-through package to hold a single cylindrical oil filter comprising foldable sheet material forming a housing having substantially square flat top and bottom panels of substantially the same width as the filter and only two side panels extending parallel to each other on opposite sides of the housing and along the length of the housing and interconnecting the top and bottom panels, said housing having front and rear sides that are open to visually expose front and rear portions of said filter, said side panels being flat and connected along fold lines to the top and bottom panels along the full width of said top and bottom panels but being substantially reduced in width along their lengths intermediate the top and bottom panels so as to visually expose opposite side portions of said filter, a major portion of said side panels including the reduced width portions being of double thickness and the top and bottom panels being of a single thickness of said sheet material, and a transparent plastic shrink film encasing the entire housing including said front and rear sides and the visually exposed portions of said filter.
 3. A package as set forth in claim 2 including short flanges in said front and rear sides overlapping the top and bottom ends of the filter and connected along fold lines to the front and rear edges of the top and bottom panels and held against edges of the side panels by the shrink film.
 4. A package as set forth in claim 3 including a spacer member located inside the housing and engaging an end of the filter and covered by certain of said short flanges.
 5. A package as set forth in claim 4 wherein said spacer member comprises a folded piece of cardboard.
 6. A package as set forth in claim 4 wherein said spacer member is formed of plastic and has inner circular portions receiving the base of the filter and outer rectangular portions to fit inside the housing.
 7. A see-through package to hold a single oil filter comprising foldable sheet material forming a housing having substantially rectangular flat top and bottom panels and only two side panels extending parallel to each other on opposite sides of the housing and along the length of the housing and interconnecting the top and bottom panels, said housing having front and rear sides that are open to visually expose front and rear portions of said filter, said side panels being flat and connected along fold lines to the top and bottom panels along the full width of said top and bottom panels but being substantially reduced in width along their lengths intermediate the top and bottom panels so as to visually expose opposite side portions of said filter, a major portion of said side panels including the reduced width portions being of double thickness and the top and bottom panels being of a single thickness of said sheet material, and a transparent plastic shrink film encasing the entire housing including said front and rear sides and the visually exposed portions oF said filter, short flanges in said front and rear sides connected along fold lines to the front and rear edges of the top and bottom panels and held against edges of the side panels by the shrink film, the portions of the side panel edges of the side panels by the shrink film, the portions of the side panel edges engaged by said short flanges being angled inwardly toward toward the reduced width sections of the side panels to act with the flanges to provide an inwardly biased support for the shrink film.
 8. A package as set forth in claim 7 wherein the double thickness portions of the side panels comprise outer and inner layers of substantially the same width and secured to each other, the inner layer being connected to the outer layer along a single fold line on one longitudinal edge of the side panel.
 9. A see-through package to hold a single oil filter comprising foldable sheet material forming a housing having substantially rectangular flat top and bottom panels and only two side panels extending parallel to each other on opposite sides of the housing and along the length of the housing and interconnecting the top and bottom panels, said housing having front and rear sides that are open to visually expose front and rear portions of said filter, said side panels being flat and connected along fold lines to the top and bottom panels along the full width of said top and bottom panels but being substantially reduced in width along their lengths intermediate the top and bottom panels so as to visually expose opposite side portions of said filter, a major portion of said side panels including the reduced width portions being of double thickness and the top and bottom panels being of a single thickness of said sheet material, and a transparent plastic shrink film encasing the entire housing including said front and rear sides and the visually exposed portions of said filter, the double thickness portions of the side panels comprising outer and inner layers of substantially the same width and secured to each other, the inner layer being connected to the outer layer along a single fold line on one longitudinal edge of the side panel. 